Tales of Surgery ENGLISH
by ArienMerimac
Summary: Very weird events, for a very peculiar clinic... Featuring characters from Tales of : Abyss, Eternia, Graces, Phantasia, Symphonia and Vesperia as staff members, or patients! You can help for the plot, by participating to a game at the end of each chapter! Collaboration with Celice Chalphy, English translation made by Celice Chalphy
1. Chapter 1

The downtown's great avenue, which was usually peaceful at nap-time, was assaulted by an emergency vehicle driving at full speed, every warning activated, which upset the locals and pedestrians.

For once, the Martel clinic's ambulance seemed in a hurry to get to the health center rather than to get out of it, to everyone's surprise. No sooner had it parked – though you couldn't call it parked – on the parking space reserved to emergencies, than a mountain of a man popped out from the driver's door and jumped at the back of the vehicle, opening wide the two doors before seizing a patient cart on which a woman was lying and yelling at the top of her lungs. Three other passengers got out of the ambulance and followed this noisy and hasty procession inside the clinic.

"Would you calm down please, madam? Screaming won't make the things smoother, you know!" The tall man stated with his low voice.

"Yes, he's right, Rutee! And at least, they will take good care of y..." The blond man was interrupted:

"SHUT UP YOU, BECAUSE IT'S JUST BECAUSE OF YOU THAT I'M SCREAMING! WHY A CLINIC?! THE HOSPITAL WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH?! DO YOU REALIZE THAT WE'LL HAVE TO PAY TREMENDOUS FEES OF... ARGHHH!" The woman stopped her lecture because of a violent pain.

"That's my dear sister for you. As greedy as always, even at a moment that important of her life." A black haired man said, following this peculiar convoy through the corridors which were like a maze.

"It's like for your wedding! Do you remember Stahn?! Rutee didn't even want a dress or to call the catering! In the end, I made a meal for all the guests!" The last in the line exclaimed.

"... Yes, I remember really well, Lilith! Hey she's suffering, we're getting closer or what, mister..." Stahn couldn't remember the name of their guide.

"Malik Caesar... And I'm sorry, I'm only an ambulanceman, so I'm not used to locating the different departments, but it shouldn't be far now..." The robust man answered, turning at another corridor's curve.

There there were...

Strong birth pangs didn't spare poor Rutee. Her whining added to the commotion of the place, the staff being urged by an unusual amount of patients. While she was being accompanied in the labor room, a high pitched scream was heard:

"EEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKK! It's too hot, are you crazy?!"

"COME BACK HERE, YOU PERV'!"

This so unexpected show enabled the future mom to forget her pain for a short while. She saw a young red haired man running through the corridor, chased after by a young woman whose gaze was darkened with fury. The former smelled tea very much and his face was covered with drops, most likely because the drink had been kindly thrown at him. Provided that the black haired woman had other mugs with the same content, she didn't intend to stop now...

They reached the labor room, but unfortunately, it was already in use. Indeed, they saw surgeons focused on what seemed to be an extremely delicate operation. But Malik dared to talk to them:

"We're going to have a delivery here, a little help and space would be welcome!"

One of the men lifted his head towards the ambulanceman. He readjusted his glasses and answered, with his usual syrupy tone:

"Oh, hello Malik. Well, the surgery room is free, and there should be all the stuff needed there... Meredy, shall you fetch Zelos and Sheena?

"Right away Mr CURTISS!" The nurse's aid answered him, before dashing out.

"Say Jade, how is it that you're operating someone here, and not there then?" The hospital porter asked.

"Well, the air conditioning was out of order, so... Anyway, do not waste more time, go!"

The Martel clinic was given a weird reputation. Though the medical staff of the health center was skilled, their personality and lack of organization conveyed a feeling closed to amateurishness. Thus, few people were really confident to entrust their lives to someone in this clinic.

Rutee was well aware of it, but it wasn't the case of her relatives, mostly of the future father, who thought that a smaller and more convivial place was more adequate than a public hospital. In the end, she didn't got her say when Stahn had already grabbed the phone to call the clinic which was the nearest health center.

"Here we are, we just have to wait for their arrival..." The ambulanceman said.

"Can't you help me?!" The pregnant woman exclaimed.

"I am an ambulanceman, not a midwife..." Malik replied.

That's when entered a peculiar trio: Meredy, the young man chased after, and his pursuer. The latter spoke:

"But I am! It's alright Malik, you can go, I'll take care of her..."

"Yeah, I will too!" Zelos added.

"But we don't need your help, you MR GYNECOLOGIST!" She exclaimed.

"Did you forget, my dear, that as such, I'm empowered to help this poor woman to give birth?" The man retorted.

"You have the point. But don't you dare playing perv' with our patient, mostly because it won't take long before she delivers..." She warned with some reluctance.

"Tell me, my lady, when was your last breast palpation?" Zelos asked to a Rutee who still had birth pangs.

"Do you think it's proper time for asking such things!? I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" The young midwife got mad and hit her colleague with her usual energy.

_BAÏBA! It's going astray! I'd better fetch Mr CURTISS!_ Meredy hastily left to find the ER chief, to prevent another birth from being a failure. Rutee was more and more worried for her child, surrounded by an unskilled ambulanceman and an arguing pairing supposed to help her.

Jade came to handle the situation in less than three minutes after Meredy's departure:

"Sheena, Zelos, enough! I think I've already warned you many times, but if you keep on this way, I'll fire you, am I being clear!?"

He didn't like to use his upper rank as a threat, but he had to admit it could prove very useful to overcome this kind of troubles. He spoke again soon after:

"Don't you think something is missing for our patient?"

"Huh... No, I don't!" The gynecologist exclaimed.

"To be honest, me neither..." His girlfriend added (though she didn't look like it).

"I don't know either!" Meredy said.

"No idea!" Malik ended.

"Oh, I see... So you're planning to make her giving birth standing?"

"..."

"You, silly! Go take a stretcher, a bed, whatever, we cannot let her give birth standing or lying on the floor! Hurry!"

The three of them left at full speed to find something suitable as soon as possible. In the meanwhile, the former fomicry researcher apologized to the future mother.

"I am deeply sorry, missis KATREA, please know that we will do whatever it takes for the delivery to go well. Do you want me to fetch your relatives?" He proposed with a kind gaze.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT! I'll not have a bank overdraft because of you, bunch of avaricious!"

"Were you talking about me?" Stahn asked, shyly entering the room.

"You may stay... But only you!" Rutee answered.

"But I'm the father, you know..." The blond justified himself, closing the door.

_Geez, what's wrong with that door!?_ The blazing future father began to lose his temper. It wouldn't close and made a strange noise. It was only after several trials that he succeeded. What he didn't know was that anytime he would push it, Zelos was banged in the nose. Indeed the three staffs were back with their finds. But as Stahn didn't notice they were to enter the room, he didn't know he was hurting the poor gynecologist. The midwife and the nurse's aid had been smarter and stayed away from the dangerous door.

When Rutee's husband quit slamming it, the trio was allowed inside and showed their finds. Zelos spoke:

"Hey, you! You broke my nose son of a..." He began to insult Stahn.

"We're back, boss!" Sheena exclaimed, happy to interrupt her colleague with a good fist colliding with his cheek.

"That's all we've found, Mr CURTISS!" Meredy said to her superior.

"Tell me, you three... Are my glasses making a fool out of me, or is that chairs from the entrance I see!?" He asked, trying to keep his composure.

"It was the only thing available, Jade!" Zelos stated.

"But what did you do with the stretcher?!" The ER chief roared.

"That, I know! Guys of the accounts department took it from me earlier, saying that they needed it..." Malik answered.

"The accounts... But why would they care about a damn stretcher! Why did you hand it over, you idiot?"

"Say, do you mind taking care of me? Because I've to remind you I'm about to give birth now..." Rutee interrupted them, more and more desperate.

"Oh well, we'll manage with the chairs then! Malik, go search for something comfortable for the baby, will you? As for you three, you're going to help me, we'll take care of her! Now!"

It was a bustle of a fight. Everyone was focused on making up for the little difficulties they underwent until now. For Jade, the goal was clear: finally have a successful delivery at the Martel clinic. He wasn't here the previous times, therefore he didn't know how his staff, usually skilled, could miss all the births they had to handle. Was it "bad luck"? A bad combination of circumstances? A lack of material? A matter of coordination? Given the recent events he was faced with, he told himself that actually, it was a because of it all, and that he had to schedule a meeting for all the medical staff to significantly reorganize the clinic's functioning. Rutee felt as if she had been entrusted to a peculiar clinic: indeed, she had never heard of being laid down on a row of uncomfortable chairs for a delivery. She was to be faced with other difficulties...

"Unbelievable!"

"What is it, Sheena?" Jade asked.

"The baby won't get out! We'll have to make a cesarean!"

"Oh no! DO SOMETHING, YOU TWAT!" Rutee panicked.

"Crap! We certainly don't have the right material!" The ER chief cursed.

"BAÏBA! I'm going to find something!" Meredy said, before rushing outside.

"Hang in there, darling..." Stahn tried to cheer Rutee up.

"SHUT UP!" She retaliated.

"But you can do it, I'm sure! Be strong!"

"Are you kidding me, Stahn?! It hurts like hell, and the baby won't get out... And look at that! They're making me delivering on fucking chairs! Next time, I will decide of the place!"

After several seconds that felt like an eternity to Rutee, Meredy came back, victorious:

"Found it! A certain Lilith gave me that!"

"Huh, Meredy, do you know it's a ladle?" Jade asked her.

"A ladle..." Zelos repeated.

The others were silent.

"... My family sure have dumb ideas!" Rutee complained.

"I'm afraid we have no choice, unfortunately... Who will handle this?" Jade asked, peering across the staff in search of a motivated colleague.

"Who will take this BLOODY job?" Zelos added, trying to relax in his own way.

"... Boss, can I kill him?" Sheena asked, full of hope.

"I see... Meredy, here you go!" Jade said, before giving her the ladle again.

_Crap, couldn't he do it himself!? It's not a clinic, it's a circus!_ In addition to her pain, poor Rutee was totally pissed off by all this commotion.

After "digging" enough to reach the baby, Meredy put the ladle down and took the baby in her arms.

"Congratulations, it's a boy!" She said to the pairing.

"Well now, how do we cut the umbilical cord?" Stahn asked.

"huh..."

"If you haven't scissors, I'll kill you all..." Rutee threatened, her eyes throwing daggers.

"We don't, but I have something else!" Jade retorted.

The ER chief used his power to materialize his faithful spear. Even though it lacked subtlety, it was sharp enough. But the new mother was rather reluctant to using such tool:

"There's NO WAY I let you cut the cord with THAT, barbarians!"

"You're the one to talk..." The new father mumbled.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!?"

"Nothing!"

"I'm back!" Malik said, closing the door behind him.

"So, what did you find for the newborn baby?" Jade asked.

"I wasn't very efficient either..." The ambulanceman retorted, before showing his find.

"A bucket!? Unbelievable!"

"Sorry, I couldn't do better than that... Besides, there still was cleaning agent inside, so I had to wash it so that it didn't smell bleach too much, and..."

Needless of more details for Rutee's heart to stop beating. It was the final blow for her, who had piled up bad surprises since she had been admitted in this clinic for her child.

"Damn it, she has a heart attack! Sheena, go find Raven! I'll see what I can do for now! Hurry!" Jade ordered to the midwife, after a quick diagnostic.

The latter complied and ran hastily to fetch the cardiologist.

As expected, Sheena didn't find anyone once she arrived at the cardiology department, and she hurried up to go back on her tracks, jumping over several stairs and dashing to the entrance coffee machine, where she wasn't surprised to find him, drinking his usual black coffee cup. Beside him was standing Lilith who seemed to enjoy their conversation.

"RAVEN! We have an emergency! We're having a successful delivery, but we're losing the mother!"

He scratched his ear, a bit suspicious.

"Can you repeat, please, dear? I think I've heard you were having a successful delivery..."

"That's what I've just said, and did you hear the next sentence too?! Move your ass!" She roared, grabbing his sleeve and resuming her race through corridors and staircases.

"Hey, my coffee! Easy, it's too fast for an old man!"

"Stop whining and save our patient!" She reprimanded.

They finally got to the decisive room. Without more waiting, Raven took the defibrillator which was at the bottom of the room, tangled with old brooms and drip stands. He put the machine closer to the made-shift delivery table, where Jade was performing a heart massage, while a cute little being was yelling inside what seemed to be a bucket. The cardiologist turned it on in vain. The device wouldn't work, and the electrocardiogram was still flat.

"Crap! We won't make it! Someone go find the entrance defibrillator, quick!" Raven exclaimed, replacing Jade for the heart massage.

Meredy was to comply, but it was no use. Indeed, the ER chief began to see red (sorry for the bad play on words) because of all this useless and hopeless commotion. If they were to fail again in this department, the clinic's maternity would close, and Jade wouldn't allow them to lose more patients, since the health center was already unprofitable. A sudden wrath made him use the final way:

"INDIGNATION!" He shouted before the lightning stroke the new mother's lifeless body, which jumped because of the impact.

She got on her elbows, with a burning lock of hair, wide eyed, and breathing at the top of her lungs. She was alive again. And she didn't waste more time to prove it:

"DO YOU KNOW YOU REALLY SUCK?! I could see you from above, and you were managing like newbies!"

"But... It means you were a ghost?! How does it feel?" The gynecologist asked.

"A g...ghost?!" His girlfriend repeated.

"BAÏBA! Congratulations Mr CURTISS!" The nurse's aid praised with admiration.

"Talk about congratulations! If I had been dead, you can be sure I would have haunted you until you pay my family off! Now get out, and I'll leave RIGHT AWAY with my man, my brother, my sister in law, and my baby! And be sure that I won't praise your 'prestigious' clinic!" She threatened the staff with her finger.

"At least, tell us your baby's name!" The midwife begged.

"What about Kyle, my frail quail?" The new father suggested.

"Kyle, Stahn, Brutus, whatever! Let's get out, before I smash this place to ashes!"

The birth of little Kyle signed the first victory of the Martel clinic's maternity, as well as the umpteenth proof of its bad management.

* * *

_And this is how ends the first chapter of Tales of Surgery, and we* hope you liked it! Let us* give you a little piece of advice: Never go to Martel clinic to give birth (mostly when you're a girl ;) ) XD_

**_Edi_****_t_****_ (02/22/2013):_****_ Mine-game is over for the chapter 2, thank you for your participation!_**

_We* also set up a mini-game at the end of each chapter. YOU will help us* for the plot of the next chapters, by choosing yourself the next patient(s)! But how? Here are the rules:_

_-You can choose up to 3 candidates (for example: Colette, Estelle, Luke...)_

_-You send me a PM to vote (we* won't accept your choices if they are published on reviews)_

_-If the character you want to be participating is already in the staff, your choice will be invalid (ex: Meredy, Jade...)_

_-Some members of the staffs are still to be unveiled, so if you unfortunately choose one of them, your vote won't be taken into account._

_-A character who has already been featured in a chapter as a patient, or patient's relative (ex: Rutee, Stahn, Leon, Lilith...) is not eligible._

_-If the characters you've chosen don't appear in the next chapters, you are free to propose them again later!_

_-This mini-game is available for two weeks after its publication. You will have to wait for chapter 2 to play it again if you missed the deadline._

_Example: You have until Thursday the 21th of February to vote for chapter 2's patients, and you will have to wait for chapter 2 to be released to select characters for chapter 3, and so on._

_Please, feedback is really appreciated, don't hesitate to leave reviews or correct the probable mistakes, English not being our* first language!_

_*Tales of Surgery has been written with the help of Celice Chalphy._

_English translation made by Celice Chalphy_

_Disclaimer : We do not own any characters, all of them are properties of Namco Bandai. All rights reserved._


	2. Chapter 2

Martel Clinic, 1h30 pm.

"Damn! But where did they move this department again?! They're changing it every other day or what?"

Luke has been wandering in the corridors of the old clinic for at least a quarter of an hour, obediently following the signs of the different departments. But this method led him to nowhere but where he shouldn't be. As he was frustrated to hit a snag at every door he pushed, he brought himself to ask the girl from the hospital reception.

"Hi! Can I help you?" The young girl with the purple pigtails questioned.

Great... I've ran into a snotty-nosed temp... Luke inwardly grunted.

"Yes, I'm looking for the psychology department, don't you know where it is?" He answered.

His interlocutor tilted her head on the side and looked at him with an empty gaze. Her badge read trainee and her name was... Sophie.

"Huh..." She was thinking, a finger on her lip.

Luke lifted his hand to his face, exasperated.

"What, you don't know either?" He exclaimed.

Sophie kept staring at him for several seconds without blinking. She finally got up from her seat.

"We'll go ask Mr Hubert, he should know where it is! Follow me!" She said, leading the way. Luke was on her heels.

Sophie pushed the door of a room from where a noise of creased paper was coming. Luke raised an eyebrow and looked over his improvised guide's shoulder. The place was empty at first sight. Or so was he thinking before seeing a head popping up from behind the desk, with an angry face.

"Who's there?!" A man with short blue hair asked, screwing up his eyes so much, that he looked furious.

"It's Sophie! I've got a little problem with this man..." She only replied.

The seemingly busy man stood up and came near his two visitors, feeling around for something on his desk.

"Unfortunately, I don't think I'm going to be of any help for now... I've lost my glasses!" He exclaimed.

So that was why he had been acting so strange, he was as blind as a bat – because of myopia most certainly. Luke laughed shamelessly about the man's troubles and thanked God to have a good sight. But he cursed the bad circumstances he was faced with.

"What is that you needed?" Hubert spoke again, rubbing his eyes and clicking his tongue in annoyance because the patient was mocking him openly.

"He'd like to go to the psychology department but he doesn't know where it is!" Sophie answered with honesty.

Hubert sighed.

"And so, you found it sensible to come here, to the ophthalmology department... Anyway, please excuse her, she's only a trainee... Do you have an appointment? You can only see our psychologists by appointment." Hubert finally asked Luke.

The latter wasn't expecting it. If he told the truth, he wouldn't be allowed to "consult". He had to make something up...

"Well, I don't have an appointment but I think I've had Parkinson for a few hours!" He answered, sighing because he was in a bad mood given the bad context he was in.

Hubert noticed the rude red-haired boy's impatience. He thought for a second, then he drily said:

"So get out from here, keep straight to the bottom of the corridor, then turn left and open the first door. You'll find someone skilled enough to help you! Sophie, lead him there, would you? And let me know if you find my glasses!"

She nodded dragging Luke along with her. Hubert rolled his eyes, exasperated. He loathed hypochondriacs, and that one would get his comeuppance. He shut the door and resumed searching his glasses.

The red-haired boy had often heard the good and bad about the Martel clinic. He was frequently told about the staff's skills, but above all, about the problems of organization and logistics the health center was experiencing. Although he was bothered by the sudden departments' moving, it didn't surprise him. Now that he had reached his goal, he didn't care that much... But his exasperation surged back when he read the sign on the door where Sophie had led him.

Physiotherapy department? Damn it! Luke thought while he was pushed inside the room by Sophie.

"Hi Mrs Farah! I've got a patient for you!" The young girl with the pigtails pointed out.

"Hello! Great, such a good afternoon it's going to be!" She answered, cracking her knuckles. "So, tell me what's wrong, sir!"

"He has the Pattinson disease, Mrs!" Sophie exclaimed, lifting her finger before Luke could speak.

"Is that so? In that case he doesn't need a physiotherapist, but a good hairdresser!"

"No, that's not it, in fact I..." But Luke couldn't finish his sentence, interrupted by the trainee:

"Eer, no! He has Parkinson! Sorry!"

"Ah! In that case, he needs me! That' okay Sophie, you can go!"

"Roger!" She said before complying.

It was better that way for the red-haired boy. Indeed, he could now clear up the misunderstanding which had led him where he didn't want to.

"Actually, I think there is a misunderstanding because I came to speak about my disease to the psychologist in the first place, and I was mistakenly redirected to your department and..."

"Oh I see! But you know, for Parkinson, you didn't need to go see the psychologist! Besides, you're not sure you have this disease! I'm listening to you, tell me more about it!" Farah retorted.

Luke was not the best at lying and he had to make an effort to come up with something credible. All the more since he wasn't at ease with that woman, and his intuition was warning him to be careful. Without really knowing why, he was aware of that it was dangerous for him to make her waste her time. Come on, don't be scared, stay focused, make something up, it'll be fine! After some seconds thinking, he spoke again:

"Well, lately, and more than usual, I have shivers and my body trembles when I get up, even if it stops a few minutes later. It used to happen to me especially about January, and given that I feel no physical pain, I told myself that I might have a psychological disease, and that's why I had brought myself to consult today!"

"No Mr, it's a BIG MISTAKE!" She shouted. "It's not a psychological matter, it has to do with your spine! Hopefully, you're at the right place, I can fix that! Please remove your shirt and lay down on your belly, I'll take care of you!"

Weirdly enough, his intuition told him to run away. He turned round and tried to exit the room, not very enthusiastic to have a physiotherapy session. It was about 2 pm already and he didn't have much time left. But he didn't expect the door to be locked by Sophie and he was now at Farah's mercy. She was getting closer and patted his shoulder so as to comfort him:

"Don't worry! Generally, people dread physiotherapy, so, we are used to closing the door during the session, as a precautionary principle. Did you know that? But like in the other departments, my job is to ensure you to feel better! In your case, I just need to do one thing, and it'll be alright!"

Okay, now, I'm scared! Luke couldn't escape her anymore, therefore, he'd better gather his courage and go through the session, hoping that it would go smoothly and quickly, as she has just told him. Topless, he laid down on his stomach and waited. He could hear the physiotherapist warm her hands up.

"I'm going to stress on a particular point that will fix your vertebrae slippage. However, you absolutely MUSTN'T move to make it efficient! Are you ready?" She asked.

"Eer..." He answered, still as unsure.

"Very well, here we go! SOUDOU SHOUTEIHA!" She yelled.

Luke closed his eyes, praying not to feel a horrible pain. While Farah executed her move, fate wanted the phone to ring loudly. Surprised by the sound, she lost her focus, and it was already too late when she saw her forearm moving in the wrong direction. Instead of "landing" in the middle of the spine, her fist stroke on the side, which made the red-haired boy suffer like hell. He could be heard in all the neighboring rooms:

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCC CCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Crap, I forgot to unplug that damn phone! If you'll excuse me, I'll be right back!" She said, apparently not very concerned about Luke's excruciating pain.

Removing her hand, she hadn't noticed the bruise made because of the "impact". Luke nonetheless did notice that she had missed her target, causing more suffering than needed. On the verge of tears, he understood why Hubert had redirected him to this department. Curse that ophthalmyopic, and curse that idiot of a trainee! Ironically, he thought that a psychologist counseling would help him to get over that damn day...

"Yes, we'll see that later! I have to hang up Hubert, I'm taking care of a patient! Yes, I'll call you if I find your glasses, don't worry! See you later!" She ended, hanging up. "So... Oh my, I've been heavy handed! Besides, I can't help you to put your vertebrae back in place because it could worsen the injury. We'd better go to the radiology department! Stand up, I'll take you there right now!"

Luke couldn't even give an answer that she was dragging him to the neighboring room. He was surprised to notice that despite his efforts to counter her, she still managed to master him. He didn't want spent time neither with Farah nor in the radiology department. In addition to making him waste his time, who knew what he would undergo there...

Radiology department, 2pm.

While entering the room, they saw the radiologist reading. The very book had an outstanding thickness and the man seemed to be so lost in the pages he was turning one after the other, that he didn't pay attention to his colleague and to Luke.

"Earth to Keele, we need you here!" Farah said aloud to her friend.

"Damn, who's bothe... Oh Farah, it's you! What do you want?

"I need an X-ray of his..."

"What, again!? You've got to be kidding! How many times did I tell you to unplug your phone before you operate your patients, as it is written in 999 Things to know about Physiotherapy?

"Please Keele!"

Despite his grunts, he finally complied. He asked the patient to lay down and began a whole series of tests.

"You can call yourself luck, sir, we've just received new devices! According to the booklet, we should be able to get a result in less than 15 minutes! Try to relax and we should soon see what the problem is!" The radiologist said before being interrupted by the ring of the service phone. "Give me a minute... Hello? Wrong timing, I'm busy Hubert... Did I see your glasses? No, I don't think so... I hang up, best of luck to find them back!"

About a quarter of an hour later, Keele got the results and analyzed them.

"Hum..." He mumbled.

"So, is there something or what?!" Farah nearly shouted.

"Can't you wait a bit? There's no problem with his spine at first sight... Nevertheless, he has a big bruise close to it, I truly wonder why..." He pointed out before glimpsing at his colleague. "You told us that you had shivers on the getting up, didn't you?" He went on, finally speaking to Luke.

"Yeah, something like that, and it gets worse in January!" He replied, fearing that his lie could lead him to more physical suffering or time-wasting.

"Well, I'm not an expert on the subject, but I might have read something about these symptoms... Give me a second, I won't be long..."

After 25 minutes reading through his books, Keele ended up finding what he wanted:

"Found it, at last! You might suffer from spleenuarism!

"Why, yes! Of course!" Farah exclaimed!

"From what?!" The young red-haired boy asked, puzzled.

And the radiologist started reading:

"Spleenuarism is a rare minor seasonal disease. It mostly affects high ranked people and can bring weariness, energy and motivation losses and can eventually cause physical symptoms to appear, such as shivers on the getting up for instance. Spleenuarism quickly disappears, but patients are warmly advised to have psychological counselings so as to keep their mental sanity."

Even though he wasn't aware of it, his definition had given Luke a reason to act the way he did right from the start! The latter was overjoyed to see that for once, his lie had no counterparts, and he hurried to take this chance:

"At last! I started to wonder if someone would ever understand! It was SO obvious to me that I didn't even tell anyone about it in the clinic. And, as I was cut every time I was trying to explain, I wasted my time, and your clinic lost even more credit!" He retorted, happy to finally have a say.

Seeing that they kept silent given that they were stunned by his words, Luke went on:

"If you had been more careful, not only would I have been spared this bruise, which will certainly prevent me from using a bed for several weeks, but I would have been able to have a longer psychological counseling than a quarter of an hour before the department closes! Next time, read How to get and preserve the good reputation of your clinic in 30 points, it could help you to avoid this kind of mistakes!"

Once done talking, he stood up, grabbed his stuffs and left the room, violently slamming the door behind him. He didn't hear Keele saying that the very book had just been ordered and that Farah didn't appreciate to be talked to that way.

Corridors of the clinic, 2h45 pm.

Even if he was happy not to be with these two people anymore, and mostly, not to have to bear with the trainee, he was still frustrated by two things: the ophthalmologist had dared to make fun of him and he hadn't reached the psychologist's office yet. About ten minutes left, that's not much, mostly when you don't know where to go... He decided to go to another floor, when he suddenly heard a noise. To tell the truth, it rather looked like a scream or a call for help, and he couldn't be oblivious to it. A young man in straitjacket was lying on a bed and retained tightly by several straps. He had managed to get rid of the gag that kept him silent so as to scream from the top of his lungs. But he wasn't calling for help...

"Hey you, ginger hair! Do you know where she is?"

"Huh, what? Who are you talking about?

"Don't play dumb! Tell me where she is locked up, and I won't harm you!"

"You're mistaking! I'm only a patient, and I don't know where is the one you're looking for... But if you know where is the psychology department, I could get there and ask them..."

"Don't go there, they were the ones to take her away! Please, release me, I have to save her!"

"Save her from what exactly?"

"How should I know? Psychologists can do whatever they want! They're twisting your spirit, that's unforgivable! Didn't you know that?"

Luke was about to say he wasn't okay with that, but he saw his interlocutor starting to struggle harder to remove the unbending straps. Panicked, he asked Luke once again:

"I beg you, release me! I swore on my life to protect her!"

"Sorry dude, I guess I can't do anything to help you! I don't want to mess up with the clinic's staff, and neither do you!"

The red-haired boy was a bit saddened to leave him to his fate, but if that guy was kept locked here as a dangerous mad man, he had the feeling that it was for a good reason and that it was better that way. Closing the door, he heard him yell in despair:

"KUREEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

There were only ten minutes left before 3pm stroke, so he had to hurry to find the psychology department. But while going through the inferior floor, he came across another ordeal. Indeed, unlike the ground zero, it was very hectic in here. Moreover, the staff seemed to be distressed. Despite the turmoil, Luke could hear some words:

"Hurry, do something before it is too late!"

"Oh no, it's the third time this week!"

"Someone go find the ER chief!"

These last words made the red-haired boy react. He was about to panic because he knew too well who the ER chief was, and he didn't want one of his acquaintances to know he was here. If Jade noticed he was in the clinic, he would pick on him to no end, and he wouldn't reach the psychologist's office on time. But he couldn't make his way through such a crowd, which kept babbling:

"Oh God, that won't last long! Hurry, the temperature is decreasing!"

"Just look at this trail, it's a true bloodbath!"

"I didn't see what happened exactly, it was so quick..."

"It was so violent, anybody would have died on the spot!"

"But who caused the accident?"

"MOVE, HURRY!"

The scream was coming from behind Luke. The latter turned round and saw a woman rushing towards them. She was pushing a kart covered with a white sheet, which was most likely hiding medical devices. Her blue gaze seemed to peer across the crowd, and her white hair was floating behind her. They stepped away so that she could kneel next to the victim, then she unload her stuffs. That's when Luke understood the reason of the people's unrest. He was at a loss for words before so much stupidity, but the cleaner found some for him:

"I swear, just look at this! It's been the third time this week already! You could be more cautious with your coffee, damn it! Besides, it's cold, you could have called me earlier, it's going to be harder to clean that long trail! And I'm not even speaking about the cup's shards here and there... And yet, I told you that glass cups weren't a good idea, but no one ever listen to Raine, no one! But I guess you don't care, since it's up to Raine to clean it up! Such a great idea I had to accept this job, really!"

Still bewildered by this surrealistically scene, Luke didn't want to remain here much longer, dreading that the ER chief could find him near the "crime scene" and make him waste more time. Five more minutes, and it'd be 3pm, ie, too late... It didn't seem to be a good timing to speak with the cleaner, but Luke asked her:

"Excuse me, where is the psychology department?"

"If you want an appointment, it's too late, this department has exceptionally been closed at 1 pm today!" She answered, trying not to be rude toward him, because he wasn't the one to spill all this coffee on the floor.

It's too late... These words resounded in his head. He had gone through many ordeals in order to be on time, whereas this woman told him it had been no use since his arrival at the Martel clinic. Reading disappointment on his face, Raine kept speaking with a hint of sympathy:

"However, if you just need to talk to one of the psychologists, there are still in there until tonight! If the one you're looking for isn't neither in his office nor here to take a coffee for a break, then you should have a look at the locker over there!" She ended, pointing at a door not so far from them.

These few words comforted the young man. After thanking her, he headed to the place she showed him before. If he didn't find anyone, he would go find the office which shouldn't be far... The sign read: 1st floor locker. Staff only. He wasn't supposed to enter, but as Raine told him to go on, he did so and closed the door behind him. His previous misfortune at the physiotherapy department hadn't taught him a lesson, because he broke into the place carelessly. He only understood his mistake when he heard a female voice shouting these few words:

"Eclair de Larmes!

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!

Luke's body reacted because he knew that arte, and it enabled him to avoid the spell. Looking at where it was coming from, he saw her, half hidden behind a cabinet. Her long brown hair which was covering one of her blue eyes, this arte that only few people mastered... There was no mistake, the young man had finally found her.

"Tear! Damn it, I've looked all around for you!"

"Oh it's you Luke! What are you doing here?"

"Can I know why you attacked me?"

"I didn't know it was you! But well, as you know that spell, you were able to avoid it. That's fine!"

"Hopefully, I'll be roasted otherwise... You can get out you know, no need to hide..."

"I wasn't really hiding..." She answered, blushing.

"Huh? Come on, I have to speak with you!"

"But... I only have my underwear on, that's why I..." She went on, her cheeks were crimson.

Luke was embarrassed. His face flushed, and he had difficulties to find proper words to apologize... But the more the seconds passed by, the more the silence was awkward between the two friends. Tear finally spoke:

"I've dropped my coffee cup earlier and I unfortunately spilled it on my clothes, so I came here to have a change of clothes, and then you came in..."

"Ah, huh, I see, sorry... I should have knocked before entering or something like that..." He said, still as embarrassed.

You couldn't know, idiot...She told herself before disappearing from his sight, to change herself at her cabinet.

"Wait for me there, I'll be back when I'm done!"

"Okay!" He retorted.

As it was becoming more comfortable, Luke felt happier to have found Tear in that clinic where the organization was upset once more, and where he had been faced with peculiar situations. He had experienced difficult Tuesdays already, but that one was one of the worst. Once she was dressed, she met him and they left the room. After closing the door, they spoke again:

"So, you wanted to talk to me?" She asked.

"Yeah, but before that, I have to tell you all that I've been through to find you!"

"Luke, I told you you didn't need to make up a plan to go see me! You can only ask the hospital reception without lying!"

"I know, I know, You told me already, but I don't want Jade to know that I came here to see you, he would stop me otherwise!"

"You're exaggerating, he loves teasing you, not torturing you!

"You never know what he's up to... Anyway, the whole clinic held a grudge against me today! First, there was that trainee who..."

He proceeded his tale wandering with her in the corridors. The useless trainee, the ophthalmologist who had trapped him, the hot-tempered physiotherapist, the scholar radiologist, the mad man... She laughed about his misfortune, but noticed that some staffs were indeed troublesome.

In the meanwhile, Raine was still cleaning the tenacious coffee trails. While she was mopping the ground, she noticed a shining item under the coffee machine. After several seconds trying to reach for this mysterious thing, she managed to get it out so as to examine it. Given its state, it looked recent enough, and she wondered how such a pair of glasses had ended up here.

* * *

_That's all for now! It's been more than two months after the first chapter was published, whereas we hoped to spend one month only writing it :s I had a writer bloc in the middle of the chapter, so it wasn't easy! But we managed to come up with something in the end, and_  
_we hope you'll like! A BIG thanks to Celice Chalphy ( u/2473936/) who helped much and translated it to English._

_And the winner from the first mini game was indeed Luke Fon Fabre from __Tales of the Abyss__._  
_For those who didn't recognize who the mad man was, it was Veigue Lungberg from __Tales of Rebirth__._

**_Edit (05/21/2013): Mini-game is over for the chapter 3, thanks for your participation!_**

_Now, let's begin another mini game, if you would!_  
_Here is a little reminder:_

_YOU will help us for the plot of the next chapters, by choosing yourself the next patient(s)! But how? Here are the rules:_

_-You can choose up to 3 candidates (for example: Colette, Estelle...)_

_-You send me a PM to say your choice (we won't accept your choices if they are published on reviews)_

_-If the character you want to be participating is already in the staff, your choice will not be accepted (ex: Hubert)_

_-Some members of the staff are still to be unveiled, so if you unfortunately choose one of them, your vote won't be taken into account._

_-A character who has already been featured in a chapter as a patient, or patient's relative (ex: Luke) is not eligible. _

_-If the characters you've chosen don't appear in the next chapters, you are free to propose them again later!_

_-For this time EXCEPTIONALLY you can choose Veigue among your three characters, since we had decided to include him ourselves._

_-You have until Monday 20th of May 2013 to submit your choices._

_Another mini-game of this kind will be held after chapter 3 is released._

_For now, we hope you liked this second chapter about that unique clinic!_  
_If you see mistakes, please let us know so that we can correct them (English is not our first language). Don't hesitate to make a comment!_

_See you soon in chapter 3!_

_Disclaimer: we do not own any character, all of them are properties of Namco Bandai, all rights reserved_


End file.
